Even if you’re not a tennis fan, there’s no doubt you’ve heard of Venus Williams. She has changed women’s tennis, bringing the sport onto the world’s stage. While she is often connected with her younger sister, Serena (there’s a year’s age difference between the duo), Venus is an all-star all by herself.
Like Serena, Venus has been playing tennis for pretty much her entire life. By the time she was seven, her talents were obvious. Tony Chesta, a professional tennis player, noticed her skill while playing on the court in her hometown of Compton, California.
When she was 10, the Williams family moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, so she and her sister could attend world-famous tennis coach Rick Macci’s tennis academy. Venus’ father, Richard Williams, played a big part in advancing girls’ careers.
In 1994, Venus started playing professionally. She reached her first major US Open final in 1997. Throughout her career, she won the US Open twice and Wimbledon a grand total of five times. She also won the gold medal in the Olympic singles at the 2000 Sydney games. In 2002, Venus reached the singles world’s No. 1 rank. She was the first African American woman to achieve this esteemed title in the Open era. In addition to her seven singles major titles, Venus has also won 14 women’s doubles major titles. She partnered with her sister for all, and the pair remain the undefeated champions in Grand Slam doubles finals.
This is just a snippet of Venus’ awe-inspiring career on the court, and while there’s no denying that tennis is her most significant achievement, as far as her career goes, it isn’t all she does. Williams is also an entrepreneur.
She’s the CEO of EleVen, her line of athletic apparel, as well as her interior design firm, V Star Interiors. The Williams sisters are also part-owners of the Miami Dolphins. In 2009, they bought a minority stake.
Needless to say, Venus Williams has a lot going on and leads a very busy life. With so much on her plate, it’s hard to imagine how she juggles everything. So if you’re wondering how she does it, the following is a sneak peek at her daily grind.
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Mornings
Unsurprisingly, Venus Williams starts her day early, as she likes to get onto the court for practice before the heat of the day.
She rises at about 7 a.m. and, after attending to her personal needs, has breakfast. Williams has admitted that eating early in the morning is difficult. She starts the day with a protein smoothie, a green juice, or some fruit, and on occasion, she may have an egg-white omelet with tomato and cheese.
In an interview with Cosmopolitan, she said, “Early in the morning, it’s super tough for me to eat right away, but I still need energy for practice.” After fueling up, Venus heads to the court at about 8 a.m., where she practices with her sister, Serena, for several hours. Their father will join them sometimes.
Afternoons
After practicing for a few hours, Venus Williams breaks for lunch, her biggest meal of the day. She tries to stick to vegan. Her doctor recommended this to help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that often causes joint pain and fatigue.
After a hearty and healthy lunch, Venus takes some downtime. Then at around 2 p.m., she’ll get in some strength training.
Finally, at 4 p.m., she switches to dance class, which helps advance her game, as dancing boosts her agility, and she just really enjoys letting loose.
Evenings
Venus’ evening activities vary and depend on what she has going on. Sometimes, she may do an interview; at other times, she’ll train more or attend to business affairs.
Williams also makes it a point to get in some downtime in the evenings, spending time with friends and family, or treating herself to some pampering.
Finally, she tries to head to bed at a decent hour for a solid night’s sleep.
